Starting in 1977, our parents took the family on annual summer camping trips to Merck Forest. There are many particular stories to tell about Merck, but what what was consistent in our trips was a spirit of family cooperation, adventure, and reflection. So much of who Robert and Susan were was embodied in their enthusiasm for our Merck vacations.
And so it is fitting that a site memorializing Robert and Susan should be located at Merck Forest. Thanks to the steadfast efforts of close family friends Dave and Sue, we are planning for a bench to be placed in a memorial garden that will be located at Merck’s main entrance. A local artisan, John Hikory, will be constructing the bench out of Vermont granite. Some preliminary sketches of the bench and the mighty granite raw materials from which it will be constructed are displayed in the gallery below:
Eric and Chris will be funding the construction and installation of the bench itself, but if you would like to make a contribution we encourage you to donate to Merck Forest in Robert and Susan’s names by either of these methods:
- Online you can donate here (you can write “In Memory of Robert and Susan Jensen” in the box that says “Please provide the name as you wish to be acknowledged”).
- Via mail you can make a check payable to “Merck Forest and Farmland Center” (in the memo line write “In memory of Robert and Susan Jensen”) and send it to: Merck Forest and Farmland Center, ATTN: Kathryn Lawrence, 3270 Route 315, P.O. Box 86, Rupert, VT 05768.
Making a donation ensures that our family and countless other Merck aficionados can continue to enjoy adventure in this special place!
We plan to gather at Merck to commemorate the installation of this bench on July 6th, 2016 (what would have been Mom’s 73rd birthday). If you are interested in attending, please email Eric or Chris for details.